Fig. 1.

Targeting cancer epithelial tumour plasticity to overcome resistance. Tumour cells with epithelial phenotype can undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition program at primary tumour site. Epithelial cells loose cell–cell contacts and aquiere invasive and migratory capabilities. The existence of intermediate epithelial/mesenchymal marker proteins in cancer cells with partial E/M hybrid phenotype is associated with increased cellular plasticity and stemness. Several transcription factors, post-trasncriptional and post-translational regulators of the EMT are implicated in therapy resistance